The top 10 movies of 1983
Some of you might remember all the way back in August of 2023 when I shared my review of National Lampoon's Vacation. It was supposed to be the first in a series of 10 blog posts of the top ten grossing movies for the year I was born (1983) as a fun experiment leading up to my 40th. (Some of you may also remember that I wasn't particularly fond of movie #10 on that list.)
If I'm being really honest, this project was a bit of an exercise in disappointment. I think because I knew that the #1 movie of 1983 was Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, a movie I adore, I sort of just expected the rest to be good, fun movies as well. And while some of them are pretty good, they're still pretty dated, and occasionally hard to watch for the first time 40 years after they were released. It didn't help that I started with a movie I really didn't like.
I had only seen three of them before I started this little project; Return of the Jedi, WarGames and Octopussy. The rest were all first-time watches. And as you may have surmised from the wording up top, I never finished my series of blog posts, I got discouraged at Staying Alive and while I watched all 10 movies, I never summoned the energy to write about them (yes, Staying Alive is THAT BAD), UNTIL NOW. So, let's dive in, shall we?
10. National Lampoon's Vacation: As previously discussed, I found this movie to be cringey, unfunny, and Chevy Chase to be actively unlikeable throughout. While there were occasional bright spots of humour, not enough to make it palatable as a whole for me.
9. Mr. Mom: Honestly, after the disaster of the previous film, this one wasn't horrible, Michael Keaton is actually quite charming and doesn't hate his wife (like Chevy Chase clearly does in #10), nor begrudges her earning a living when he can't. However, that being said, it was still filled with a lot of gendered stereotypes that were dated even back in 1983 and it also has an oddly abrupt ending.
8. Risky Business: Again, if I'm being fair, this movie was actually pretty good. I went into this movie knowing one thing about it, Tom Cruise dances in his undies. Turns out it's a lot about sex work, greed, classism and Reagan-era economics. It also has a KILLER soundtrack.
7. Staying Alive: I knew three things about this movie before I watched it: 1. it was the sequel to Saturday Night Fever, 2. it was directed by Sylvester Stallone (who I since discovered also co-wrote this monstrosity) and 3. it infamously has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I wish these were still the only things I knew about this movie. When I went to watch this I was still riding the high of Mr. Mom and Risky Business being infinitely better than Vacation. It is a MESS. The story is baffling, the dialogue terrible, the plot terrible, the sound TERRIBLE. I really don't like it when people say about movies âthat's an hour and a half of my life I'm never getting backâ because a lot of people spend a lot of time making that movie and they deserve a little credit for that. But this is the one time I wish I could ask for those 93 minutes back.
6. Octopussy: Oh boy folks, while not nearly as bad as the previous film, it's not that much better. I had seen it before, as a Bond completionist, but not for a long time, and I forgot how nonsensical it was, and how OLD Roger Moore (my least favourite Bond) looks in it. Well, after a bit of research, it turns out âcause Moore was supposed to have had his swan song in For Your Eyes Only. Due to a long legal battle in the 60s, the filming rights for Never Say Never Again were kept not by Eon Productions (who have made all, save two Bond films), but one of the co-writers of Thunderball, Kevin McClorry. He and Warner Bros. announced they had convinced Sean Connery to reprise the role he originated. Eon had been looking for a new Bond, but when the other movie was announced, they cut the search short, got Moore back on board and found the salacious title buried in a Bond short story A Property of a Lady and made they made certain it was released before Conneryâs film. It may have made more money, but it's a mess and it's far less well-reviewed than its counterpart.
5. WarGames: I'll admit, knowing that this was #5 helped power me through the previous two films. As one of the movies I'd previously seen, I did have ânostalgia eyesâ for it, but I maintain it's still an excellent film. Matthew Broderick, playing a brilliant but unmotivated high school student (sound familiar?) hacks into a NORAD computer and almost starts WWIII?! What's not to like?
4. Trading Places: I didn't really know what to expect, with the rest of the list being so up and down, but I actually quite enjoyed Trading Places. Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy are in their prime, and this is another biting satire of greed and classism with a lot of comedy thrown in. One of the things I wasn't expecting was Jamie Lee Curtis as a sex worker who helps Ackroyd get back on his feet after a callous bet has him lose everything. I didn't know she was in the movie and she was a delight. However, that being said, one of the things I remember most about the movie was the very casual Blackface that happens near the end. I was shocked by it while watching, which I guess says a lot about movies these days, but I also would've thought it was a no-no even back in '83. That shocking moment aside, a very good time.
3. Flashdance: While I enjoyed Flashdance overall, and it also has an amazing soundtrack, I found, yet again, my modern sensibilities getting the way while watching it. Jennifer Beal's character wants to be a professional ballerina but works as a stripper and at a steel mill to make ends meet, all that totally fine, with a plot similar to many a modern dance movie. What I had a hard time with was that after her boss sees her dance at the strip club and then subsequently finds out she works for him, he pursues a relationship with her, you know, power dynamics and HR be damned. I get it, it was the 80s, and like I said, I enjoyed the movie, that one part was just hard to swallow.
2. Tootsie: I'd heard of Tootsie, and like most, I knew Dustin Hoffman dressed as a woman in it. However, if you told me that he dressed up as a woman to get an acting job because he couldn't get a job as a man, I may have watched it earlier. The concept and comedy are well-done and the jabs at sexism in the workplace land well. It also pokes some fun at soap operas, which is almost always a good time.
1.Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: If you know me at all you know that I loudly celebrate May the 4th every year, and have seen every Star Wars movie in theatre, gobbled up the live-action series that have been released on Disney+ and have fallen down the hole of the excellent animated series that have come out in the last 10 years, so 10/10, no notes, would and will watch again. 100% biased on all counts. ;)
Have you had a peek at the top 10 movies that came out the year you were born? Are they better than mine (not hard to be ;) ), are you going to watch them? Let me know!
Kirin, and Kumquats, and Pomelos, oh My!
Happy Spring folks! Longer, brighter days are ahead of us and Iâm finally here with an update!
I know I said in my last post that I hoped to blog at least once a month, but then I blinked and it was April! Plus sometimes I struggle with what to write about. Itâs true I can ramble about pretty much any old thing, but thatâs also something that holds me back sometimes. Maybe I should let my fear of the ramble go and unleash it upon the internet for the few who kindly come to read what I have to say? (Something I might thank myself for in the future perhaps?)
While I have been working on most of the goals I set out in my last post, today I want to focus on the most fun one by far - trying as many new kinds of fruit as I can!
A kind reader (and coworker), Gord, has been a huge help in this department! In fact, three of the four new fruits I tried were left on my desk at the office by him!
First, we have kumquats. These small orange fruit are a citrus native to China. They were really tasty, I just washed them, removed the little stem and then ate the whole thing. Theyâre sweet and citrusy. Gord said that theyâre great in a gin and tonic, but I never got around to trying that - but itâs definitely something to keep in mind for the summer ;)
Verdict - would definitely eat again
Next is the pomelo. It kind of looks like a giant grapefruit, which makes sense, since it kind of tastes like one too. Itâs also native to Southeast and East Asia. The one I tried was a golden, or yellow pomelo. As you can see in the picture below, it has a very thick pith around the fruit. Gord warned me to make sure that I removed as much of the white pith as I possibly could before eating, as it was extremely bitter (can confirm) and then peel the segments to enjoy the fruit inside. Now, Iâll be honest, Iâm not a huge grapefruit (the fruit) fan. I really like grapefruit-flavoured things, but I find the fruit itself a bit too sour to enjoy on its own, so for me pomelo was like the most ideal version of grapefruit! All the grapefruit-ish flavour, none of the bitterness (unless you got that pith)! It was also mentioned that pomelo was really good in salads, which I can totally see, so Iâm looking forward to trying some in my summer salad season.
Verdict - would definitely eat again
I went to Seattle at the end of February for Emerald City Comic Con and while we were in a Whole Foods grabbing some snacks, I came upon this guy: the sumo citrus, or dekopon, so I picked one up to try. These are oversized mandarins from Japan that (according to their website) are known for their sweetness, size and âtop-knotâ. Since we were staying in a hotel, I didnât have a sharp enough knife to get a nice cr0ss-section or a big enough surface to take a nice picture once it was peeled. It feels silly to say it was a disappointment, but after the kumquat and pomelo - which were both new flavours, it was a bit of a let-down since it just tasted like an orange. I didnât even find it particularly sweet, just like a mandarin that we would eat at Christmastime, with a harder-to-remove peel.
Verdict: wouldnât go out of my way to buy, but would eat again
My final new fruit update for this go-round is the kirin (also courtesy of Gord), also known as a yellow dragonfruit. Itâs a cactus species thatâs native to South America, and slightly smaller than the ânormalâ pink dragonfruit most folks are familiar with. Apparently this can sometimes be confused with other yellow dragonfruit cultivars that arenât actually related to the kirin (such as the Aussie Gold - one to add to the to-try list) but I digress. Itâs full of fibre and vitamin C, but more importantly, it was DELICIOUS. I cut through the skin to reveal the distinctive white with black specks interior and then just cut it into discs to eat, peeling the skin off first. The flesh is succulent and sweet with a nice floral-y vibe. If these werenât so dang pricey (I looked it up âcause it so good) I think I would eat them quite often.
Verdict: 100% would eat again!
I already have a few more fruits to try, so Iâll be back with more updates on this one soon. This is, by far, one of the most fun to do âgoalsâ Iâve set for myself in a long time, I wish I could thank whichever random person on IG I found the idea from! Do you know of an interesting fruit I should try? Let me know!!
And one last time, huge shout out to Gord for being my new fruit enabler ;)
In 2024, I Want to Thank Me!
For those of you who havenât seen Neicy Nashâs viral Emmy speech, have a peek here. This, right here, is the energy I want to bring for myself in 2024. I donât know about you, but the last couple of years have been tough. Living through a global pandemic took a lot out of all of us, and I thought 2023 was going to be my âget back to normalâ year, but really, what even is normal anymore? It's time to redefine the word, I think, and create the normal I want for myself, and I think the normal I want is more like Neicyâs, âGo on girl with your bad self you did that!â Okay, it rolls off her tongue MUCH better than mine, lol, but I think you get the point. Working to create a life I can be proud of, even if I donât win any awards for it. So, with that in mind, Iâve taken the month of January to do some test runs and figure out what that looks like for me, and what goals I think might help me thank me, not just when the end of December 2024 rolls around, but into 2025 and beyond!
Blog at least once a month - despite my incredibly spotty history, it is something I really enjoy doing (and this goal is also why this post is coming out on Jan 31 ;) )
Develop a better reading/nighttime routine. I used to read before bed a lot when I was younger, and Iâve fallen out of practice. Also, despite having about a gazillion books on my TBR I only read 12 books last year. TWELVE! One a month! Although, in keeping things realistic, I made my goodreads.com goal for 2024 12 as well, you know, to make things attainable.
Collect postcards from every city/town I visit. I already kind of have been doing this, but Iâm going to make a more concerted effort.
Try as many types of fruit as possible - I 100% stole this from someone on Instagram, âcause I thought it sounded super fun. Also, I love a goal thatâs about doing something more.
Watch a movie off of âThe Neverending Movie Listâ every week. Whatâs The Neverending Movie List you ask? Well, since 2017, Iâve been keeping a spreadsheet of all the movies that have come out that Iâve been remotely interested in watching. There are 473 movies on that list up until the end of Dec 2023. This seems like a no-brainer. I love movies. I have this list. Time to watch some more movies off this list.
Develop a better hair/skin routine. Iâm over 40 now (Jesus, that is still mindblowing to say), time to really take my skincare seriously. Iâve chatted with my BFF Alicen, who, of the folks I know, knows the most about skincare, and got some recommendations to add to the regime. Also, my hair has changed a lot in the last few years, and I need to re-learn how to take care of it.
In the same vein, itâs time to retake control of my physical health, so Iâm going to try one new exercise-y thing at least once a quarter. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that January was all about yoga, and itâs made me feel so good. I think Februaryâs going to get my up off the mat and out doing some cardio.
and finally,
Get better at juggling.
Sure, some of these are fun and silly (have we met?) and some are more âseriousâ, but isnât that what life should be? Some of these things are easier to measure than others, but Iâm hoping that putting them out there (or here, on my blog as the case may be) will encourage me to keep up with them as 2024 rolls on! So, here we gooooo! See you next month, promise!
Top 10 Movies of 1983: Risky Business
Okay! Before we talk about some business thatâs risquĂŠ, letâs talk domestic versus international gross! Iâve talked to some friends about my top 10 list as compared to theirs, and unsurprisingly, domestic vs international makes a big difference! Iâm using the domestic gross for 1983, but as my luck would have it if Iâd used the international gross, I would have saved myself from watching Vacation (it was #11) and would have added Terms of Endearment (#2 international, #22! domestic), but oh well, it is what it is. Moving on to todayâs review!
#8 Risky Business
Released: August 5, 1983
Gross: $63,541,777
Have I seen this movie before? Nope
Of course, I was familiar with Tom Cruise dancing in his underwear, but apart from that, Iâm ashamed to admit I had no idea what this movie was about. To boil it down pretty simply, when Joelâs (Tom Cruise) parents go out of town, his friend Miles tells him he should live it up a bit before he goes off to college. Joelâs version of this is raiding the liquor cabinet, dancing in his underwear around the house and joyriding his dadâs fancy car. Apparently, Miles thinks this is far too tame and calls a sex worker, Jackie, to visit Joel. Now, I have to hand it to the movie; when Joel finds this out and that Jackie is trans (or at least a man in womenâs clothing - itâs not made clear how they identify), he isnât disgusted, more embarrassed that theyâve made the trip out for nothing. So much so that Joel pays Jackie for their time, and in return, Jackie gives Joel the number of someone whoâs probably more up his alley, Lana (Rebecca DeMornay - who Iâm more familiar with from 1993âs Three Musketeers). It turns out that Lana sure is up Joelâs alley, but sheâs also very pricey, a lot more than the money his parents left him when they went away (and I have a feeling they were thinking more along the lines of pizza). So he leaves her, this woman he literally just met, alone in his fancy Chicago suburb home to go cash a savings bond to pay her. Guys. Like, I know itâs a movie, and itâs set in the 80s, but do you know anyone who would leave a complete stranger alone in their house?! He could have easily had her come with him to the bank! But then again, her being left alone leads her to steal Joelâs motherâs fancy crystal egg, which is the driving force for all the drama to follow, BUT WHO DOES THIS?!
ANYWAYS. Moving on from that big olâ plot hole, Joel finds himself enamoured with Lana, despite her thieving ways and decides to let her stay at his house while trying to figure out to get the egg back from under her pimpâs roof. Instead, he angers the pimp, and then, after a night out with Lana and a couple friends he knocks his dadâs Porsche into Lake Michigan. When he finds out how much it will cost to fix the Porsche (a lot more than he has in bonds) in a âthat escalated quicklyâ kind of moment, he and Lana decide to turn his house into a brothel for a night to make the money to pay for the repairs. The nightâs a huge success, but when he gets back from picking up the car up from the mechanic his house is devoid of furniture. Needless to say, Lanaâs pimp is pretty mad at Joel, so in maybe the prettiest move of all time he steals all of his furniture and forces him to buy it back - good thing the brothel was such a hit, âcause Joel uses the last of the profits to return his house to normal before his parents get back from their trip.
I donât know folks, this movie was pretty good, but I clearly wasnât the target audience. That being said, it has a fair amount of humour, a great soundtrack, some jabs at Reagan-era greed and classism, and a few great, âOMG IS THAT?! momentsâ - particularly with Joe Pantaliano and Bronson Pinchot.
Top 10 Movies of 1983: Mr. Mom
Here we go again! In honour of my upcoming 40th birthday, Iâve decided to watch the top ten movies that came out the year I was born. If you read my last review, you know that it didnât start off on the greatest note. National Lampoonâs Vacation was NOT a hit for me. Moving on to #9, Mr. Mom, Iâll admit I didnât have particularly high hopes, but I was sure it couldnât be nearly as bad as #10. (Spoiler alert, I was right)
So, #9 Mr. Mom
Released: July 22, 1983
Gross: $63,090,965
Have I seen this movie before? Nope
Okay, so quick synopsis for those of you, like me, who maybe havenât seen Mr. Mom. Jack (Keaton) and Caroline (Garr) live in Detroit, where heâs an automotive engineer in Detroit, and sheâs a stay-at-home mom for their three kids. When Jack gets furloughed from his job and canât find another, Caroline, who went to school for and previously worked in advertising, returns to the workforce.
After Vacation, this was a huge step up. Keaton is very charming, and Jack actually likes his wife, Caroline. I appreciate that he didnât seem overly sulky that he had become a stay-at-home dad, more frustrated that he couldnât get another job, and didnât resent his wife for being able to. It was more of a general frustration that he seemed oblivious about basic chores like laundry and feeding his kids. Hijinks come from when he gets addicted to soap operas and forms a poker night with the other stay-at-home moms. However, after some stumbles, he hits his stride as a stay-at-home dad. And letâs be honest, we all take a little bit of time figuring out new jobs, time management and the like.
My main bones of contention are:
1) Caroline called to have three contractors come at the SAME time and didnât tell Jack they were coming. There was a plumber, an exterminator, and an electrician all arriving to do things on his âfirst day on the jobâ, who does that?!
2) we donât get more of Carolineâs side of things. We get glimpses of her at work and know that sheâs climbing the ranks, but thatâs about it.
3) A weirdly abrupt ending
Sure, Mr. Mom is full of gendered stereotypes that were dated even in 1983, but itâs quite sweet in the end, and both Keaton and Garr are very winning. Itâs a very âmediumâ type of movie. Watchable, especially in comparison to #10, but nothing really to write home about.
Top 10 Movies of 1983: National Lampoon's Vacation
In six weeks, Iâll be turning 40. A big olâ milestone birthday! And earlier this year, I had this idea for doing a whole blog series about a few things I was hoping/planning on doing leading up to that milestone. But if youâre at all familiar with me and plans for blog series, that kind ofâŚdidnât happen. Cut to the beginning of the summer, and I was like, I know Iâll do a blog series on the top movies of the summer of 1983!, but since Iâm a procrastinator to the core, the summerâs now half over and I havenât written a thing. SO, now, at last, Iâve settled on a theme for this âIâm almost 40â blog series: the top 10 grossing movies for the year I was born. âCause you know I love a movie, and it seems as good a theme as any, lol.
So, a quick Google search gave me the list, and I decided to work in reverse order, starting with #10, National Lampoonâs Vacation.
Released: June 29, 1983
Gross: $61,399,522
Have I seen this movie before? Nope
So, for those of you, like me, who may not have watched Vacation before, the rough synopsis is that Chevy Chase wants to take his family on a cross-country road trip from Chicago to California so they can visit Walley World. Hijinks ensue. Pretty standard family road trip flick.
My friends, this is not a good movie. I can maybe understand if you saw it when you were young how you might have some rose-coloured nostalgia for it, but I do not and I did not like this movie. I found it cringy and unfunny from pretty much beginning to end. Okay, there was a moment, right at the top, when Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) takes his totally fine car to get a new one THE DAY BEFORE EMBARKING ON A ROAD TRIP and Eugene Levy makes a fun appearance. One thing leads to another and they get a much crappier car, which prompts his wife Ellen to ask why they donât just fly? Good question Ellen! Apparently, Clarkâs been working so much that he misses spending time with his kids, which is sweet in a way, but wouldnât be nice to spend more time at Wallyworld with them than being stuck in a car with them? Also, if this is an important family trip why does Clark spend so much time obsessing over Christie Brinkley as she drives sexily past him on the highway? I get it, for the âcomedyâ of it all, except itâs not funny. There are a bunch of things that just donât work out for the Griswoldâs on their roadtrip, but the real topper is when Ellenâs aunt dies in the car and then Clark insists on LEAVING HER BODY IN THE RAIN OUTSIDE ELLENâS BROTHERSâ HOUSE. Like, what?!?! This is after they strap her corpse to the top of the car, OF COURSE.
All of this was in service of getting to Walley World, right? But guess what folks, in the middle of the summer, Walley World is closed for maintenance, the whole park, for two weeks! It seems outright nonsensical in the first place, but even more bonkers is that this whole family would plan a trip there and not even make sure the park would be open when they arrived! I understand that this was in a pre-internet time, but I went to Disneyland in the mid-90s and my parents definitely checked it would be open before schlepping four kids down to California for a week and we didnât get the (dial-up) internet until around â97-â98âŚ
I suppose the only bonus is thereâs another fun Canadian comedy legend cameo in the form of John Candy as the SOLE guard working at Walley World when Clark Griswold loses his mind and decides to break into a theme park so his family can âhave funâ? And then it all works out âcause Mr. Walley also has a family he doesnât spend enough time with?
Truly a baffling film folks.
Pros: John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Jane Krakowski (sheâs a Griswold cousin, already super sassy as a teen), and Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac wrote a couple songs for it
Cons: Literally everything else.
Trailer time! Asteroid City
I know itâs been forever, and I do have a couple post ideas up my sleeve, but in the mean time, itâs trailer time! The trailer for the new Wes Anderson film Asteroid City just dropped and ooo boy am I excited for it!
A lot of Andersonâs regular cast of characters, plus Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johanssen AND aliens (maybe??) YES PLEASE!
Marvel Rewatch: Phase Two
Here we go folks, moving right into Phase 2 of the MCU! I have to be honest folks, itâs a good thing I established the âshort paragraph and bullet pointsâ format in my first post, âcause there are a few movies on this list that I could have gone on and on about. Thanks, past Andrea!
Iron Man 3 - 2013, directed by Shane Black
I came into this with weirdly high expectations after enjoying Iron Man 2 so much than I expected to and was kind of let down. I think it has one too many storylines. And yes, Iâm saying this knowing that Infinity War and Endgame are on the horizon. I donât know if itâs Extremis, âcause thatâs a cool story from the comics, and Guy Pearce makes a great baddie. I still donât love the twist with The Mandarin, although I do love Ben Kingsley. Weirdly, for me, I think itâs this âitâs Christmasâ is the thing that throws me the most in this flick. I had to double-check its release date (May 3, 2013) to see if it came out at Christmas to warrant this strange plot point. However, there are plenty of things I do like about it. I think Robert Downey Jr. does an amazing job portraying Tonyâs PTSD, panic attacks, state of mind, etc, after the Battle of New York. Great action sequences and Tony with Harley Keener is really fun. However, I donât particularly care for this movieâs treatment of the ladies. Yes, Pepper gets her Rescue origin here, but Rebecca Hall comes in as Dr. Hansen, and while a genius she kind of gets reduced to âwoman that Tony slept with once who then gets killed by the bad guyâ. Not a strong look Marvel.
The saddest is when the robots âdieâ in the attack on Tonyâs house
No mid-credits scene
Thor: The Dark World - 2013, directed by Alan Taylor
The complete opposite to the previous film, I came into this movie with very low expectations, âcause apparently, the one thing everyone knows about Thor 2 is that itâs bad. You guys! Itâs not that bad! I think thatâs the thing with the âbadâ Marvel movies is that thereâs still a lot of stuff to like in them, Janeâs date with Chris OâDowd, (and Chris OâDowd in general) adorable. Kat Dennings, still fantastic. Stellar Skateboard running around Stonehenge naked, genuinely funny. The whole aether thing is very confusing, and the Dark Elves feel a bit out of place in the MCU. Like, truly, they feel like they should be in J.J. Abrams Star Trek franchise, not a Marvel movie.
Darcy: âItâs okay weâre Americansâ Jane: âIs that supposed to make them like us?â
That Chris Evans cameo though? Pure GOLD
Renee Russoâs Frigga = underrated
Also, add another notch for the Whoniverse! Weâve got a companion and a Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) now!
Captain American: The Winter Soldier - 2014, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo
I mean, considering my pretty mediocre feelings about the previous two movies, I was SO excited to finally get to this one. Anthony and Joe Russo have been a gift to the MCU. I love a good spy thriller, and to get one of those with Cap, Tasha, Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Sam Wilson thrown inâŚI mean, this is a perfect Andrea movie. Getting to see Steve re-integrating into society as best he can, while Tasha gives him a hard time about it is gold. All of the Hydra stuff, the Winter Soldierâs intro attacking Fury, THAT ELEVATOR FIGHT, you guys, itâs just great! On top of that, you get that reminder of how Steve and Sam first bonded, as soldiers, who survived when their brothers in arms didnât. Iâm sad that itâs been so long since I watched this one, âcause I really love it. Additional thoughts:
âOn your leftâ pure gold
This is Natasha at her spy-iest, and I LOVE IT
Steve visiting the Smithsonian and old Peggy
FWWGA addition: Robert Redford
âAir conditioning is fully operationalâ This line when Furyâs vehicleâs being attacked is just amazing
Agent 13 is so under used, I wish we got a lot more Sharon Carter
WE HAVE AN Abed cameo! Just a reminder that Community is also top-notch entertainment (at least for a few seasons)
Guardians of the Galaxy - 2014, directed by James Gunn
I have ridiculously fond memories of seeing this movie in theatres. Packed house on opening weekend with a massive group of friends and strangers. And then that opening, Star-Lord dancing and singing his way through those ruins, you just knew you were in for something completely different than anything weâd seen in the MCU before. Kevin Feige knocked it out of the park yet again, by taking a Marvel property that not a lot of people were familiar with, giving it to a talented director (James Gunn) and letting him do a fun heist movie in space! (And boy do I love a good heist movie!) The casting is great, the story is fun and fast-paced, and we finally get to meet Thanos after him lurking around the shadows and post-credits scenes for a while. Plus, that soundtrack is absolute perfection, I still listen to it often. (and sing along very loudly to every song)
Do you love early-2000s CW classic Roswell as much as I do? Then you probably also clocked the Brendon Fehr cameo on Xandar
For a change we a âfamous award-winning white WOMANâ addition to the MCU in Glenn Close, well in addition to, âcause John C. Reilly.
Doctor Who addition to the MCU arrives in Karen Gillanâs Nebula
I actually recently watched this really interesting video that explains why Guardians worked so well in comparison to Suicide Squad when they have essentially the same characters and plot. Enjoy.
Avengers: Age of Ultron - 2015, directed by Joss Whedon
I had a lot of trepidation going into this one, âcause I remembered not being particularly fond of it. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and have determined that this is a movie that has benefitted a lot from what comes after it: Civil War, Infinity War, Endgame, WandaVision. Something I noticed (but clearly missed when I originally watched it) was all the talk of âmonstersâ in this film. Natasha, Bruce, Tony, the Maximoff twins and Ultron all refer to themselves as monsters at one point (or more) in the movie, but since Iâm not doing in-depth analysis here, Iâll refrain from doing a deep dive into what that means. (I told you there were a few I could go on aboutđ) However, the big thing that I took away from this movie (and especially as weâre heading towards Civil War) is the difference between Steve and Tony, just on a base level of dealing with the world. Steve was and is a soldier, he was on his own by 18 and has learned to trust his gut and intuition when it comes to people (he shows this on Sokovia when he doesnât question letting the twins join in the fight against Ultron) and prefers to talk things through. Whereas Tony trusts himself, and heâd much rather ask for forgiveness than permission. However, heâs been doing things based on his guilt and fear and then has to deal with the world-altering repercussions of those decisions (more on this when I talk about Civil War) Iâll stop myself there, âcause I also have to mention that I FORGOT THAT ULTRON CREATED VISION?!?! WOW. Bad brain.
The âLanguageâ running joke through this movie is fantastic. I love being reminded that Steveâs a literal old man.
âPlease be a secret door, please be a secret door, please be a secret door, yayâ RDJ gold.
The whole âwhoâs worthy?â of Thorâs hammer, and how it comes back around in Endgame
Welcome to Wakanda and Hello! Andy Serkis.
OH YEAH, Hawkeyeâs familyâs in this one
âI really miss the days when the weirdest thing science created was meâ - Cap
I love that Vision gives himself a cape because of Thor
âThe city is flying, weâre fighting robots, I have a bow and arrow, none of this makes senseâ Hawkeyeâs self-awareness in this pep talk is top-notch
OH! This is when Hulk goes to Sakar!?
No post-credits scene
Ant-Man - 2015, directed by Peyton Reed
Itâs kind of odd that Phase 2 finishes with Ant-Man, but itâs hard to be upset about it, âcause this movie is so dang fun! Did you know that I love a heist movie? Have I mentioned that already in this postâŚ.? Ageless vampire Paul Rudd joins the MCU as Scott Lang, and it makes me so happy, âcause I just love him. However, it must be stated that the true stand-out of the Ant-Man movies is Michael PeĂąaâs Luis. Sure the plot of the movie with the power-crazed Darren Cross is a bit bland, but Iâll take it âcause it means that I get silly fights with train sets and other toys. The visuals in this movie are fun and well-done, the big to small to big again is probably really hard to do, but it looks great here.
Oh yeah, Pegâs in this! Hi Hayley Atwell, I love you!
Definitely forgot that Scott has a degree in electrical engineering
Bo from Superstore has a cameo and all I can hear when I see him is âbo bo booooowâ
It should be noted that Judy Greer, Bobby Cannavale and Evangeline Lilly all join the MCU in this movie ON TOP of everyone else. Itâs like Marvel calls and actors are like, âYes.â no questions asked.
Cassieâs devotion to her dad is maybe one of my favourite things ever. (it also makes me want a Young Avengers something in the future)
Welcome to the FAWWG club Michael Douglas
âI think our first move should be to call the Avengersâ Youâre not wrong Scott.
When Antony dies, truly devastating
So, hereâs my updated personal ranking as of the end of Phase 2. What does your Phase 1, Phase 2 MCU ranking look like? Comment and let me know! See you after Phase 3! Civil War here I coooooome!
Marvel Re-watch: Phase One
Like a lot of people during the olâ Covid, Iâve had a lot of extra time on my hands. Over the years Iâve made all these lists of movies and shows Iâd like to watch, and then suddenly I had all this time to actually watch them. The âno re-watchesâ rule Iâd implemented for myself a few years ago, the one I did to try and force myself to make time for new things, sort of became moot. I had the time. I watched the things. Oh, I watched them. As a human who lives alone, and suddenly had her very full calendar reduced to work and not work, streaming services and I have had an EXCELLENT relationship throughout these past 13 months.
Amongst those things that Iâve watched have been Marvelâs newest TV forays, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. And I have to say, theyâve been making me miss the olâ MCU. A LOT. So, with Oscar-movie watching almost finished and new restrictions in BC, Iâm launching on my first full rewatch of the MCU since I donât know when. Iâm going with chronological release order, and since Iâm me and I canât help myself, Iâm going to be doing a personal âdefinitive rankingâ as I go. And since Iâm a sucker for a blog project (that weâll be lucky if I complete, coughGoTrewatchcough) I figured Iâd hop on over here and share some thoughts along with my ranking so far.
Iron Man - 2008, directed by Jon Favreau
The movie that launched an empire. I have very fond memories of watching Iron Man in theatres. It felt so new, so different, at the time. Sure there had been superhero movies before, but none felt quite like this, and I think casting had a big part to do with it. Robert Downey Jr. embodies Tony Stark in a way that makes the two of them (for better or worse) feel almost indistinguishable. I also canât believe how YOUNG he looks! I know this came out in 2008, but DANG. Baby Tony here. Other thoughts:
I canât believe I forgot that Jeff Bridges was in Iron Man. Launching the âfamous, award-winning white guys as villainsâ in the Marvel universe
Remember when Terence Howard was Rhodey?!
Oh hi Paul Bettany - right now you get to just record, but soon youâll have almost the most makeup of them all! Muwahahahaha
I miss incredibly dry Coulson from Phase One. Donât get me wrong, I LOVED Clark Gregg in AoS, but seriously, heâs perfect here.
The Incredible Hulk - 2008, directed by Louis Letterrier
Poor Incredible Hulk. I can see how hard it tries, and honestly, I donât think itâs as bad as everyone says it is. For me, it suffers a lot from âtoo much destructionâ syndrome. I get that they really want to emphasize the gamma monster of it all, but the Hulk and Abomination battles are just too long. Ed Norton isnât a bad Banner, I like a lot of what he brings to the role. I also liked the humour here, and the nods to the comic and old TV show (Hi there Lou Ferrigno).
In other âremember theyâre a part of the MCU?â news, Hi Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and Tim Blake Nelson
Iron Man 2 - 2010, directed by Jon Favreau (written by Justin Theroux)
As I was watching Iron Man 2 I was realizing how little of this movie I remember. Tony dealing with being poisoned by the thing thatâs keeping him alive, the government trying to steal his suit, and Pepper being increasingly annoyed with him. Which, I get, Iâd be annoyed too Pep - heâs a frustrating human being. However, I also liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I mean, Sam Rockwell does a lot for that, âcause heâs always a good time, especially here as Hammer trying (and failing) to out-Stark Tony. On top of that, we get the introduction of Scarlett Johanssenâs Natasha Romanov! Considering how much of a badass she gets to be here, particularly in the fight at the Hammer compound, itâs really baffling that itâs taken a full decade to get her solo movie.
Elon Musk has a cameo in this
Hi Don Cheadle!
Add Rockwell and Mickey Rourke to the âfamous award-winning white guysâ list!
Thor - 2011, directed by Kenneth Branagh
Hereâs the thing with Thor, yes, it has its fair share of issues, Chris Hemsworthâs too-blond eyebrows being the tip of that iceberg, but itâs still our first venture into the âcosmicâ part of the MCU, and for that, I think we have to give it some credit. I think Branagh does a pretty good job introducing us to the âscience magicâ of the MCU. Sure, I think he makes Asgard a bit too âShakespeareâ, but it sort of works. Hemsworth and Natalie Portman are sweet, but I donât quite buy their love story. Although, I do love Jane Foster, and Iâm happy sheâs here (and coming back for Thor: Love & Thunder) Last, but not least, we get the introduction of Tom Hiddlestonâs Loki, which, wow, I bet they didnât know how much heâd blow up after this.
FAWWG addition: Anthony Hopkins
All the dudes knowing that Sif is the best warrior of them all - again, why did we have to wait until 2019 to get the first female solo flick?
Kat Dennings and Stellan Skarsgard are an absolute joy
Oh hi there Hawkeye
Hemsworth gives good torso folks. (For more excellent torso work, may I recommend The Legend of Tarzan starring another Skarsgard, Alexander)
Captain America: The First Avenger - 2011, directed by Joe Johnston
I have very fond memories of seeing this with Craig Kerbrat in San Diego one year when we didnât have passes for that day at SDCC. A large selling point being that the movie theatre would be air-conditioned. We were Canadians in southern California in late July, thereâs only so much heat we could handle at once. I have a huge soft spot in my heart for this flick. Watching The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Erksineâs (one of several FAWWG additions here, Stanley Tucci) insistence on finding the right person for the super soldier program makes SO much more sense. Steve' Rogers is just a good guy, he wants to join the army, not for fame or glory, or to âto kill Nazisâ, itâs because he âdoesnât like bulliesâ. Casting in the MCU continues to be spot-on, I know they pursued Chris Evans for this role, and Iâm happy he accepted, âcause heâs spot-on as Cap. We also get Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, I love her with every fibre of my being and would recommend everyone to watch her stand-alone series (Agent Carter). Other thoughts:
This is the Britishiest movie about America, I clocked Jenna Colman (Clara from Doctor Who), and Natalie Dormer (Margery Tyrell of Game of Thrones), plus Dominic Cooper, Richard Armitage, Toby Jones, and David Bradley.
Science magic again!
FAWWG: Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving
Avengers - 2012, directed by Joss Whedon
Oh man, Avengers. Why DC decided to try and do their team-up movie without laying the groundwork like Marvel did still baffles me because while this movie is objectively fantastic, a big reason that it works is that we donât have to do the origin stories for six characters. No, they just get to team up and save the world in spectacular fashion instead, âcause the film assumes you know who they all are. Instead, we get to have more fun bringing the characters together, showing their âpowersâ in action. The banter, the action, the story, it all works perfectly here and is the best way to close out Phase one of the MCU.
Iâll never not love that Capâs primary weapon is a shield, it says so much about him as a character
ALAN SILVESTRI! Seriously, that score! chefâs kiss
Literally nothing funnier than Hulk beating up Loki during the battle.
How my MCU ranking looks after Phase One: (yes, I sure did make and colour-code index. cards just for this ranking)
See you after Phase Two!
Adventures in Coffee: The Garden
In early February, we made a trip to The Garden in Strathcona. Like the first place on the list, Their There, Iâd never heard of this place, but itâs definitely one of my favourite places that weâve been to.
Like their name would suggest, The Garden has some lovely greenery inside and out, inside the shop, there was a mix of small tables, short counters and couches. They also have an excellent selection of local goods such as candles, books, and accessories.
This time, since Iâd never tried one before, we ordered a cortado with our latte to share. For those (like myself) who donât know, a cortado is a shot of espresso mixed with an equal amount of steamed milk. Cortar means âto cutâ in Spanish. The idea here is to dilute the espresso shot with the milk, but not add a lot of the texture that you get in drinks like cappuccinos and lattes. Their espresso, fair-trade from Argo roasters, shone through nicely in the cortado, and the latte was lovely.
We tried the food on offer yet again and couldnât resist trying some cookies before our breakfast food arrived. We got a chocolate chunk, and a ginger molasses and both were soft and chewy and just plain magical. I canât quite remember what they called the egg-toast-deliciousness that we ordered, but one was a nice slice of bread topped with mushrooms and cheese and then topped with a poached egg, and the other was topped ham, swiss and a poached egg. Both were served with some lightly dressed greens. They were fantastic.
The Garden has a really laid-back, cool atmosphere, and I really look forward to going back there once things get a little bit more back to normal.
Adventures in Coffee: Elysian
My coffee buddy/best friend/all-around great human, Alicen and I were crossing an Oscar movie off the ol' 'to watch' list, and figured that was a perfect excuse to cross off a place from the 'ol coffee list!
Since we were going to see 1917 at Scotiabank downtown (remember seeing movies in theatres?! God I miss that), we decided to hit up the Helmeken and Burrard location of Elysian. Most Vancouverites are probably familiar with this local coffee roaster/chain. They're known for their excellent coffee and the fact that they don't have wi-fi.
Incidentally, this was the only location of Elysian that I hadn't visited! It's attached to the Burrard Hotel and has a cool mid-century vibe. Plus, the people watching, even in January (thank you temperate Vancouver winters), was excellent. Since we did it at Their There, we decided to continue getting a latte and an Americano to share, along with a couple of items from their breakfast menu (we were VERY early for our movie).
Their coffee was great, no surprises there, since I'd been to their other locations, but I did get to experience a little more of the 'balance of fruity flavours' the Daily Hive article mentioned with the Americano (I'm usually very much a latte girl). We shared the avocado toast, like the true Millenials we are, and some perfectly poached eggs on toast with sweet potato fries. Honestly, I'm not really sure how avocado toast got so closely tied to my generation, but I'll take it, it's DELICIOUS, and the pickled onions and microgreens that Elysian put on theirs made it extra lovely. (see pictures below!)
Elysian has four locations around Vancouver. All of them are a little bit different from the next, but the throughline is excellent coffee and a wonderful place to sit and chat (although maybe not right now).
Adventures in Coffee: There Their
Waaaaay back in October 2019 (seems like an AGE ago, doesn't it?) an "ultimate" list of coffee places in Vancouver from the Daily Hive popped into my newsreader. As someone who both enjoys being caffeinated and lives in Vancouver, I saved the article. (I also have a tendency to keep lists of the best doughnut/brunch/sandwiches, but that's a blog post for another day)
Then at the end of the year when I was doing a loose plan for what I wanted 2020 to look like (spoiler: not this), I proposed to my lovely, coffee-loving (I' mean she has 'coffee' in her online handle!) friend, Alicen, that we pull out that list and explore our city, one coffee shop at a time. Unsurprisingly, coffeeshopcynic thought it was a great idea.
On a bright January afternoon, we visited our first place from the list, Their There. Situated on W4th in Kitsilano, this place was bustling with people and had a fun but chill vibe. We grabbed a little table and got to the business of ordering. Now, unfortunately, because of my very lackadaisical approach to updating this blog, this was six and a half months ago, so I don't 100% remember what everything was called. However, I think the pictures give you a good indication of the yumminess we got to eat and drink.
From my memory, the latte and Americano were both excellent, and the breakfast sandwich was awesome. Then there was like an eggs benny/hash thingy (you see it in the pic below), which was SO nice. Plus, we just had to have their cronut-y type pastry, also top-notch.
All in all, when the world opens up again (whenever that might be), I'd recommend going and checking Their There out!
2020: A more mindful year
Itâs been a while since Iâve had a âthemeâ for a year, or at least one that I felt pretty dang confident about. In todayâs episode of Not Enough Spoons, my co-host Alicen and I talk about how we plan to take care of ourselves in 2020. As I describe my plans for the year, I use the word âmindfulâ about seven times, so I think itâs pretty clear what my personal theme is for 2020.
This year I intend to use my time a little bit better. While I have no qualms or issues with having non-productive time (itâs SO necessary for me), I have been known, on occasion, to take that to excess. I mean, I think, if you read this blog at all, youâre well aware of my struggles with procrastination and motivation. And this certainly isnât to say that Iâm going to suddenly stop bingeing Netflix (or Prime or Disney +), you best believe I still will. Itâs more along the lines of not playing on my phone while watching something, and maybe folding the never-ending pile of laundry instead. Perhaps sorting through the Rubbermaids I still havenât gone through even though Iâve lived in my apartment for two and a half years or stopping one episode earlier to actually do my full evening routine. You know slightly better uses of my time.
While two years of My Peak Challenge have helped me start to develop the kind of strength Iâve always wanted, I still struggle A LOT with my nutrition. A considerable part of it, I think, has been the not-great relationship Iâve had with food for most of my life. Still, Iâve slowly been repairing that, and Iâm hoping this year, being a lot less mindless about what I eat, should help with that. One of the co-founders of Girls Gone Strong, Jen Comas, mentioned something in one of her Instagram posts that struck a chord with me, âhow do I want to feel after eating this.â If youâre like me, when you eat a whole bag of chips, you feel like garbage afterwards, even though you convinced yourself it was going to be a stand-out idea when you started. Definitely not how I want to feel after eating something. I intend to be more conscious of how I want to feel after Iâve eaten, instead of listening to that part of my brain that seems to think eating all the things is a good idea. That part of my brain is wrong, even though my tongue might occasionally agree with it.
The last thing Iâm hoping for in 2020 is to do a lot more writing. Yes. I know. Broken record over here. Itâs something I say over and over and over again. However, Iâm going to keep saying it. Because, in the end, I really enjoy writing, even if I often let it fall to the very bottom wrung of my to-do list. Iâm hoping that youâll see a lot more randomness from me here on the olâ blog this year; movie reviews (after a long hiatus), things Iâve learned after a deep dive on Wikipedia (may as well use those as blog fodder), and anything else that tickles my fancy. So, thatâs the plan for the start of this shiny new decade, trying to be a little more mindful about how I live my life.
How is it October?!
Kentâs Beach at sunset on my birthday, picture Kate Dryden Dunn
Just over a month ago I sat down and wrote almost a full blog post that I intended to publish before my birthday (which is late September). And then the next thing I knew it was October 11th! September seemed to be one of those vanishing months this year. I think its disappearance was aided by two weekends away, my mum visiting for a week, three Bard on the Beach shows, and one visit to Broadway Across Canada. Iâm sure there WAS a month that happened in amongst all that, but I hardly remember it!
Autumn is here, with shockingly clear skies in Vancouver and some perfectly cool temperatures. My sweater collection and I are currently living our best lives. Autumn is also birthday time for me, which in my world also gives me an opportunity to figure out a few things Iâd like to accomplish in my 36th year.
Iâm knocking a big travel/bucket list/epic adventure thing off those lists in November when I go to Africa, which Iâm beyond excited for, and hope I have the presence of mind to post about afterwards (we all know my track record here)
Iâd like to learn/re-learn a few non-essential skills as well. I learned to juggle in elementary school (and was even cast as a lead in a play based on my abilities) but Iâve fallen WAAAY off. Itâs a weird, silly thing that I liked being able to do, so Iâm going to try and commit to practicing for a couple of minutes every day. Maybe post the practice videos? Weâll see, Sam and Sandra are inspiring me to try and motivate myself via IG these days. The other thing Iâd like to get better at is ukulele. I have this GORGEOUS uke that I can play about three chords confidently on. I have the instrument, I want to be able to play it, dang it! So, similar to juggling, Iâm going to try and put in some practice minutes every day (maybe week)
Finally, that dang novel. Normally, at this time of year, Iâd be gearing up for NaNoWriMo, but with the trip to Africa happening right smack dab in the middle of November, I know far better than to try and attempt that. I know myself far too well. However, Iâve had some epiphanies about my novel over the past couple of months, so the re-write is onâŚ.slowly. I might try and use November to be NaNo adjacent, and work on it a bit (maybe on the 30 hours plane rides?)
So, thatâs it. Juggle, ukulele, novel. A few things to spice up 36, and make that trip around the sun a little more interesting.
Be proud of the journey
A few weeks ago I was referred to as âthe most fit personâ in a group of people. And this unbelievable feeling of pride welled up within me, because not only did I know that they meant it in all seriousness, but I also knew that Iâd earned it. Itâs no secret that Iâve struggled with my weight for a long time, but I think what might kind of be a secret is that Iâm more and more comfortable with the journey Iâm on to be healthier.
My lovely friend Alicen is doing something for the next year called âThe Happiness Projectâ, and this monthâs theme is âprideâ. Itâs a tough challenge for sure, but after that comment and going back and seeing all the post-workout selfies that Iâve taken since February I was inspired by her to show my pride in my journey.
Iâve tried a lot of different âprogramsâ over the years, but in the past 3 or 4 Iâve done the ones that have made the biggest impact, not so much on my weight (although it IS better) but on my mindset when it comes to it. The Strongest You Coaching with Girls Gone Strong is where is started, a huge component is mindset, especially growth mindset to seeing things as challenges, and if I donât succeed that theyâre not failures, but opportunities to learn, grow and try again. It also taught me to love lifting. Learning that I can lift heavy weights and theyâll make me feel good? Thereâs nothing quite like the feeling of empowerment of knowing that I can carry most things people warn me are heavy.
Iâve been doing the My Peak Challenge for the past two years, and while I havenât had some of the weight loss success that my fellow Peakers have, Iâve certainly gained conditioning, and that still feels like a win. The other big thing that Iâve learned is that I can do this. It may take me a long time, but I can still do it, slow and steady will win this race in the long run, and if I have to take the scenic route, then so be it. Iâll get there eventually, and Iâll be proud of the journey I took to get there.
Week 6 update: Back to the Drawing Board
You know that feeling when youâre supposed to be halfway through re-writing your novel and you realize youâve been writing the book from the wrong characterâs point of view? Actually no, not just point of view, but the wrong characterâs story completely. Yeeeaaaah. Needless to say I think thereâs going to be a bit of a readjustment to my 12-week schedule.
I think one of the reasons that Iâve struggled with this story for so long is that I, for reasons completely unknown to me, have pushed back at telling the story from this characterâs side of things. I have no idea why, everyone who Iâve talked to about the story has always told me how they find her more interesting than my current protagonist.
I should be on âre-writing Act IIâ of my NaNo novel according to the plan I put together, however, Iâve been stuck on âre-write outlineâ since JuneâŚprobably because Iâve been trying to write the wrong characterâs story this whole time. Donât get me wrong, I like his story, I think itâs interesting (obviously, or else why would I have tried so hard to write it?!) but this book isnât his story.
So, back to the drawing board, and writing the outline from the correct characterâs point of view and getting back to writing this story.
Week 1: An update
Well, I slacked a bit in my first week of my 12-week plan of working on my novel. However, I figure since Iâm trying to keep myself accountable, I should share the things Iâve learned in the first week.
Iâm re-reading the novel I wrote during NaNo for the first time since November. ItâsâŚ.not as bad as I thought it would be? I mean, itâs not good, but I remember it being much worse when I was writing it. Thereâs a lot of work that needs to be done to rework my protagonist and the whole openingâŚand the first act. But thereâs definitely the bare bones of a story in there.
I also found a free course on Reedsy to help me with my âbad with 3-act structureâ situation, yay Internet!
Thatâs about all I have to update for now. Accountability post done!
Queen of Procrastination Would Like to Relinquish Her Crown
One of the main reasons I try to blog is because I keep hearing about how regular writing makes you a better writer. Well, maybe not better, but at least more habitual. More accustomed to sitting down and getting the words out and onto paper (well, screen).
If youâve been following me here at all, then youâre probably well aware that Iâm sporadic at best when it comes to writing blog posts. I did semi-regularly post that Game of Thrones blog series for a while, but well, I think my ambition far outweighed my current ability on that one.
However, Iâve been listening to a podcast called Before Breakfast for the past couple of months, and host Laura Vanderkam recently did a 5-part series on procrastination that really hit home. As you can see from the title of this post, I live in the kingdom of Procrastination, Iâm comfortable here, I usually get things done eventuallyâŚ
However, that being said, Iâm secretly ambitious. Iâd actually really like people to read the novel I wrote during NaNo. And get projects done around my house so I donât always have projects on the go around my house.
So, to combine a tip I heard from Laura, who also wrote a book during NaNo, and a great panel I saw at the Creative Ink Festival in March, Iâm posting my 12-week plan for my novel for all to see. Iâm hoping that any of the few who read this blog will attempt to keep me accountable for this.
12-Week Plan
Weeks 1 & 2 (June 9-22): re-read NaNo novel and finish updating new outline for novel
Weeks 3-5 (June 23-July 13) re-write Act 1
Weeks 6-8 (July 14-August 3) re-write Act II
Weeks 9-11 (August 4-24) re-write Act III
Week 12 (August 25-31): final revisions on new draft
Sept 4 (after Labour Day long weekend): draft out to beta readers
Maybe I should be more specific? I donât know. Iâm admittedly not great at the âact structureâ in my own writing. Iâm hoping have a concrete outline will help with that. Iâm also going to add that on top of this plan, Iâll update here on the blog how Iâm doing with the various steps week by week. Hopefully, that will keep me accountable to myself? (Probably not, I know the person laying down those ârulesâ and sheâs a bit of a pushover when it comes to deadlines - which is where you, dear reader, come in)
The Wolf and the Lion
Sigh. I know Iâm a broken record, but Ned. Oh Ned.
I get it, CSI: Kingâs Landing was more appealing to you than the tournament being thrown in your name, but maybe if you werenât so outwardly hostile to everyone and more suspicious of Littlefinger, then things wouldnât go so badly in the end. I mean, probably not, but hey, a girl can hope
At least he convinces Robert not to compete in the tournament, not just because his armour is too small for him now, but because surely someone in the Queenâs pocket would figure out how to kill him. I mean, his outward hostility to Lancel Lannister is probably what gets him killed a few episodes later, and might be why Lancel becomes one of the sparrows later on (if I remember all of this correctly, which I may not, as previously mentioned, I havenât watched these episodes in an age)
Instead of Robert making a fool of himself, we get the introduction of Ser Loras, and oh man, I canât believe how much I forgot about this show. All I can see now when I see the Knight of the Flowers is the fact that heâs Iron Fist, itâs very distracting. Iâm sure Iâll get over it shortly, but man, that hair, that smug face. Littlefinger goads Renly about his relationship with Loras, which seems awfully hypocritical coming from the guy whoâs lusting after a CHILD in Sansa, but this is GoT, so I guess we canât be that surprised.
Anyways, Loras proves that heâs not just a pretty face by beating the Mountain, who then decapitates his horse (yes, I mixed this up and thought it was in the last episode, I watched them back to back, lesson learned) and tries to go after Loras. The Hound stops him and we get the first round of the Cleganebowl, something Iâm SO looking forward to in season 8.
I enjoy later on when Loras and Renly are together and get a little glimpse that plotting for the throne comes from all areas. Itâs shocking to think how many people want to sit on that uncomfortable throne made of melted weapons. However, itâs interesting to see Lorasâ argument to have Renly on the throne, when he says, âWhere is it written that power is only made for the worst?â Renly is good and would, ostensibly a far more frugal king than Robert, who thought being king meant being able to do what he wanted, and leaves the running of the kingdom the small council as opposed to getting involved directly.
EXCEPT! When it comes to the Targaryens. News arrives that Daenerys is pregnant and Robertâs complete and utter hatred for the house that took away the one thing that he truly wanted, Lyanna Stark, brings him to a meeting to demand Ned have her killed. Assassinating a pregnant young woman a world away is a step too far for the honourable man from the North. Itâs the excuse heâs been waiting for to throw in the towel and head back to the far less intriguing North. He gives up his position as Hand. We all know itâs a big mistake, especially considering what his wife is up to, but alas.
Catelyn heads to see her sister, and finds her changed. Apparently, spending time in the capital is bad for everyone. The image of her sitting up on that high seat, breast-feeding an eight-year-old Robin is QUITE the introduction for Lysa. Between that and the cadence of speech that both Lysa and Robin have just makes them so damn creepy. It makes you feel extra sympathy for Tyrion. Catelyn was unwise enough to bring him there, something that she starts to see for herself very quickly, but being thrown in that cell with no back wall? YIKES. Itâs no WONDER the Eyrie is such a valuable piece of real estate in the Game of Thrones board game.
Up in Winterfell you also get another glimpse Theonâs increasing frustration with his lot in life. Oh Theon, be careful what you wish for. Things are going to get SO much worse for you. Bran also demonstrates some of the frustration that I have in Catelyn. Sheâs so convinced that sheâs doing the right thing that she seemingly forgets that she has two young children that need her attention back in Winterfell, not just Bran, whoâs recovering from an injury, but Rickon as well.
Back in Kingâs Landing, we get Arya training, trying to catch a cat. And if thatâs one of the requirements for becoming a sword fighter, then Iâm well on my way, âcause Iâm an excellent cat catcher. However, her efforts due lead her to several interesting discoveries. Firstly, that the skulls of the dragons werenât destroyed like Viserys thought they were, theyâve just been moved underground. The second thing is far more important, that Jon Arryn was killed because he started asking questions, just like his father has been. She gets the kind of direct proof of all the overt plotting thatâs going on against the throne. However, sheâs unable to identify the men, and stumbles over her words, and is ultimately interrupted by Yorenâs arrival with the news that Catelynâs taken Tyrion prisoner.
In between this and Nedâs discovery of another one of Robertâs bastards right before the slaughter of his men, we get a surprisingly touching scene between Cersei and Robert, laughing about their marriage and how itâs kind of a mess. Itâs two people who stay married for appearances but seemed to know from the beginning it would never be a happy one. Considering all her actions later on in the show, itâs so hard to tell if Cersei is sincere here, but Iâd like to think she was. She didnât seem to become quite so power hungry until after Robert dies.
Finally we get the end of the episode, the first true indication that everything isnât going to work out for the family we so want to cheer for (even though they make so many bad decisions). Nedâs honour yet again is the thing that gets him into the most trouble, when he claims that he was the one that ordered Tyrionâs capture, not letting Catelyn take the blame. While Jamie may not be able to act out against Robert directly over all the small slights he takes against the Lannister family, he certainly feels like he has the right to defend his family honour when Robertâs friend captures his brother without just cause. Obviously, I think he takes it a step too far by killing the Stark bannermen, but then again, this is Game of Thrones and thatâs how the game is played, by taking as many players off the board as you can at once.
The Mountainâs horse, decapitated by the Mountain
Kurleket, killed by Hill Tribesmen
Willis Wode, killed by Hill Tribesmen
Wyl, killed by Lannister guardsmen
Heward, killed by Lannister guardsmen
Jory Cassel, killed by Jamie Lannister
Four unnamed Hill Tribesmen, killed by Bronn
One unnamed Hill Tribesman, killed by Tyrion
Two unnamed Hill Tribesmen, killed by Rodrick Cassel
One Lannister guardsman, killed by Ned Stark
Three Lannister guardsmen, killed by Jory Cassel
image created by Robert Ball for HBOâs Beautiful Death series
Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things
Okay, if Iâm going to even get anywhere close to finishing this on time, I think Iâm going to have to start just giving thoughts and perhaps try a little less hard to tie the paragraphs together, sooo, sorry?
Going with the title of the episode, we start with one of the cripples/broken things, Bran Stark. He dreams of the Stark crypt and the three-eyed raven, something that makes SO much more sense now, seven seasons in. I definitely remember being very confused the first time through (something thatâs clearly a theme with me and the early seasons of this show). Itâs essentially his first warging, a sign of all the things to come for the youngest (at the end of season seven) surviving Stark. This is also when we first meet the sweetest, gentlest character in all of Westeros, Hodor. When Robb called him in, my reaction was definitely, âHODOR!â Heâs the best.
Still in Winterfell, we see the return of Tyrion, and of course, the outward hostility of Robb towards him. Itâs interesting, because I feel like Catelyn keeps her plans very much to herself, but she must have expressed some kind of displeasure at the Lannisters in general, and Tyrion specifically, âcause thatâs the only reason I could imagine Robb would be THAT rude to Tyrion when he arrives back Winterfell. Luckily, Tyrion, being raised in his back-stabbing family and the courtly intrigue of Kingâs Landing, has excellent manners, and knows better than to poke the wolf too hard in its domain. Then again, he has no problem baiting TheonâŚwhich I wish everyone would stop doing, âcause even though heâs awful right now, I already feel bad for everything heâs going to go through when Ramsay shows up.
Up at the Wall, we learn how completely Jonâs already earned the respect (and fear) of his peers when Samwell Tarly shows up. He gets everyone to leave Sam alone, much to Thorneâs disapproval. I forgot how completely useless Sam was at the beginning of the show. Granted, heâll never become the warrior that Jon will be, but does learn his way around a blade, is far from being the coward he claims to be. As Jon and Sam grow closer in this episode, we get a chat regarding their status with the ladies, and despite his good looks Jonâs a virgin because he didnât want another kid growing up with the last name Snow. That surnameâs sure done a number on him.
However, right after this conversation we get a glimpse from Thorne at how awful winter is in Westeros, where seasons last years instead of months. I mean, Iâm from the more northern (really the centre) of BC, so Iâm familiar with temperatures in the -20 to -30 zonesâŚbut then again, I lived in a home with central heating, and what Ser Alliser describes sounds AWFUL. No wonder those Starks are always reminding everyone that Winter is Coming.
Over in Essos we get sexposition (GoT does a lot of exposition during sex, itâs so strange) about the history of dragons and Westeros from Viserys. Also, it turns out I was wrong (not the first time, nor the last around here), Jorah DOES explain that he was selling slave, âcause he had âan expensive wifeâ. We also get Viserys being his continually horrible self, Dany invites him for dinner, but he incorrectly assumes itâs an order (âcause thatâs presumably the only way he can get people to dine with him - to order them) and storms into her tent and attacks her, telling her not to anger the dragonâŚWell, Danyâs had enough of this and smacks him (like we all want to). Later on when talking with Jorah, he asks her if she really wants him on the throne, âcause the people in Westeros wouldnât welcome someone like him (someone who reminds them of the Mad King) on the throne. Danyâs no dope, she knows he wouldnât conquer the Seven Kingdoms, even with the Dothraki at his back. Ah Viserys, everyoneâs agreed youâre useless, the end is nigh.
Then we get all the activity down in Kingâs Landing (geesh, I donât know why I thought these would be short posts, SO. MUCH. HAPPENS.) Sooo, letâs sum up Kingâs Landing in bullet points:
Sansa already knows that Joffrey hates her, which sounds like a great start to a relationship.
Nedâs starts up CSI: Winterfell and finds Gendry (I hope youâre ready for some rowing Gendry ;) and figures out the connection much faster than Jon Arryn did.
Jamie and Jory bond over the battle of Pyke (thatâll be short-lived) and they mention Thoros of Myr and his flaming sword. Chalk another one in the âmissed that one the first time throughâ column.
We meet the Mountain (well, Mountain #1) aaaaand he kills Ser Hugh in the most brutal hit during âNedâsâ tournament (that heâs not attending)
Sansa meets Littlefinger for the first timeâŚand learns the Houndâs origin story - which is a nice reminder that Cleganebowl is still coming in this final season, I donât know about you, but Iâm looking forward to that one.
Arya trains and Ned talks about the gendered future she has in store, and Arya tells him plainly that it wonât be the life she leads âNo, thatâs not meâ. Sure isnât Arya.
Littlefinger plainly tells Ned that âDistrusting me was the wisest thing youâve done since climbing off your horse.â COME ON NED! Like, when he TELLS YOU you shouldnât trust him, you do? Ugh. Starks.
Oh yeah! Ned also has a chat with Cersei about âkilling enemiesâ and I all can think is WHY ARE YOU HERE?! EVERYONE WANTS TO KILL YOU. Sigh. The inevitability is so blatant it almost hurts to watch him futilely try to be a good person in the capital.
Finally we get Catelyn taking the one good Lannister into custody âcause she trusted Littlefinger. WHY DO THESE STARKS TRUST HIM?! Sigh, so frustrating.
Aaaaanyways, on to the next one.
Ser Hugh of the Vale, killed by the Mountain
image created by Robert Ball for HBOâs Beautiful Death series